When I was a kid, I would stay up all night – no kidding – watching the Telethon on channel 7. I got such a kick out of the people who would come in and tell their stories of how hey raised money:
“I dribbled a basketball around my block 427 times, and raised $312.45 from my neighbors!”
“My daughter and her friends washed cars all day in the rain, now they’ve all got colds, so I delivered the money.”
“We sold friendship bracelets at school, but we ran out of friends, so we have $24.50.”
Seriously, I love the Telethon and got to witness the action first hand this year, as Frank Scinta and Paul Cambria hosted the likes of the Goo Goo Dolls, Elvis impersonator, Terry Buchwald, and more. Area business leaders were there with oversized checks (how do they fit in the drive thru window at the bank?) raising a boatload of bucks for the Hospital.
Niagara Falls’ own, Chris Borgoti, representing the WNY Area Labor Federation dropped over $43,000 into the bucket. How cool is that? We saw Niagara Falls developer and building owner of the current location for the Craft Kitchen & Bar, Paul Stephens with a donation from his Rock Oaks Estates housing complex in Clarence. That donation entered into a challenge that doubled his donation with contributions from callers watching on TV.
This 55th annual production of the telethon is the first year it was held in Niagara Falls. We’re happy to be part of such an effort, and are confident the hospitality of the Seneca Niagara Casino played a big part in its’ success.
Was it killing Chris Borgati to part with $43,000? Naaaaaah!
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